Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Review of “Fading West” EP by Switchfoot #blogtember

My all time favorite band Switchfoot is gearing up to release their 9th studio album entitled, “Fading West” on January 14th 2014! But since that still feels so far away (I mean it’s next year, for goodness sake! ;)) and they know we fans are not that patient, they’ve given us a three song EP to tide us over!

The EP opens with “Who We Are”, a pop tinged ode to youth and finding who you are. If I’m being honest, this song is taking a while to grow on me. And even after a few listens, it still isn’t a favorite. Which is hard for me to say because my love for these guys runs deep and is pretty unconditional lol. The chorus features a children’s choir that, from what I understand, is made up of their own kids (the Switch kids? the Foot kids?). Which is actually very sweet and fitting for the song.

“Love Alone Is Worth The Fight” features an anthemic chorus and beautiful lyrics,“And we find what we’re made of through the open door. Is it fear you’re afraid of? What are you waiting for? Love alone is worth the fight.” It’s easy to picture everyone singing along to this tune, it’s bound to become a live show favorite.

Third and final track, the oddly named, “Ba55”… took me completely by surprise and blew my mind! The experimental sound on this track is so different for them. The music itself is so intricate and interesting but the lyrics are also my favorite on the EP, "I want a fire that could burn me clean. Light the sky with my black eyed dreams. And let my soul fly. I want a fire to burn down the door. Let the wounds of my embers soar. And let my soul fly." I really hope more of this sound shows up on the album. It’s killer and I’m addicted!

Another really exciting aspect of this project is that it isn’t just an album but a movie as well! “Fading West” the movie documents the guys’ lives making music, touring, and surfing.

“Inspired by such films as Rattle and Hum and Endless Summer, Fading West follows Grammy-winning alternative-rock band Switchfoot as they travel the globe in search of new musical inspiration and perfect waves. Part rock documentary, part surf film, and part travelogue.”

The guys will be premiering the movie on the fall tour, which is already underway! I was actually planning to attend the Atlanta date when I visited my sister next month but unfortunately, it’s sold out! Ugh!! (Oh what’s that sound you hear? Just me… over here sobbing. Okay, so maybe that was a little emo of me, sorry!) Seems like this tour is selling out quickly so be sure to get your tickets soon!

One of the many things I love about Switchfoot is that they never make the same record twice. Their sound is always evolving and always changing. This album I can already tell is going to be no exception. This EP definitely represents a new sound for these San Diego, CA natives. The more I hear the more excited I get for both the album and the movie. And I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us!